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July 31 — The Bush administration is engaged in a secret dialogue with Iran to try to persuade Iran to hand over top al-Qaida operatives, U.S. officials told NBC News.
THE THREE OPERATIVES are among the most wanted members of al-Qaida:
Abu Mussab al Zarqawi, an alleged poison expert who got medical treatment in Iraq.
Sa’ad Bin Laden, Osama bin Laden’s third-oldest son who is believed to be planning new al-Qaida operations.
Suleiman Abu Ghaith, the al-Qaida spokesman famous for introducing bin Laden in a widely seen videotape after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
Many U.S. officials believe that Iran is willing to turn them and other key al-Qaida operatives over to the United States or their home countries for a price: in exchange for members of an Iranian opposition group called the Mujahadeen al-Khalq, or MEK.
The MEK has been attacking Iran’s Islamic government from Iraq and is now in Iraq under U.S. military control.
DEALING WITH ‘AXIS OF EVIL’
A former member of President Bush’s national security team says that despite the administration’s reluctance to publicly engage a country the president called part of the “axis of evil,” it’s worth handing Iran the MEK. According to Flynt Leverett, “It is potentially a big enough payoff that the United States should, on grounds of its national interest, be willing to strike a deal.”
In addition, some U.S. officials believe the MEK deserves to be handed over to Iran. The group is defined by the State Department as a terrorist organization responsible for killing U.S. military troops and civilians and supporting the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979.
The MEK was financed, armed and trained by former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein until the war. But the group does have support in the United States from some lawmakers who say its members are freedom fighters who should have U.S. backing.
OPPOSING THE DEAL
Hawkish Republicans say under no circumstances should the United States negotiate with Iran while it’s pursuing nuclear weapons. “We shouldn’t do anything that makes it look as if we’re recognizing, legitimizing, and favoring the regime in Iran,” says foreign policy expert Michael Ledine of the American Enterprise Institute.
Thursday night White House officials said there is no deal and no “formal” negotiations.
Despite what may be going on behind the scenes, the Bush administration’s public policy is Iran should hand over al-Qaida terrorists and expect nothing in return.
Is this something that the US should or should not do?
July 31 — The Bush administration is engaged in a secret dialogue with Iran to try to persuade Iran to hand over top al-Qaida operatives, U.S. officials told NBC News.
THE THREE OPERATIVES are among the most wanted members of al-Qaida:
Abu Mussab al Zarqawi, an alleged poison expert who got medical treatment in Iraq.
Sa’ad Bin Laden, Osama bin Laden’s third-oldest son who is believed to be planning new al-Qaida operations.
Suleiman Abu Ghaith, the al-Qaida spokesman famous for introducing bin Laden in a widely seen videotape after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
Many U.S. officials believe that Iran is willing to turn them and other key al-Qaida operatives over to the United States or their home countries for a price: in exchange for members of an Iranian opposition group called the Mujahadeen al-Khalq, or MEK.
The MEK has been attacking Iran’s Islamic government from Iraq and is now in Iraq under U.S. military control.
DEALING WITH ‘AXIS OF EVIL’
A former member of President Bush’s national security team says that despite the administration’s reluctance to publicly engage a country the president called part of the “axis of evil,” it’s worth handing Iran the MEK. According to Flynt Leverett, “It is potentially a big enough payoff that the United States should, on grounds of its national interest, be willing to strike a deal.”
In addition, some U.S. officials believe the MEK deserves to be handed over to Iran. The group is defined by the State Department as a terrorist organization responsible for killing U.S. military troops and civilians and supporting the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979.
The MEK was financed, armed and trained by former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein until the war. But the group does have support in the United States from some lawmakers who say its members are freedom fighters who should have U.S. backing.
OPPOSING THE DEAL
Hawkish Republicans say under no circumstances should the United States negotiate with Iran while it’s pursuing nuclear weapons. “We shouldn’t do anything that makes it look as if we’re recognizing, legitimizing, and favoring the regime in Iran,” says foreign policy expert Michael Ledine of the American Enterprise Institute.
Thursday night White House officials said there is no deal and no “formal” negotiations.
Despite what may be going on behind the scenes, the Bush administration’s public policy is Iran should hand over al-Qaida terrorists and expect nothing in return.
Is this something that the US should or should not do?
ACK!
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